Unfortunately, things may never work out the way we planned.  We may never get the “perfect life”, we may never get the “perfect job” or even the “perfect house”.

What do we do then? Stay unhappy?

First, you should realize a happy life never depends on a perfect experience (is there really such a thing as an ideal life?). Learn to live in the moment and enjoy every ride. Realize every single moment is a valuable gift, and how you choose to use it makes all the difference.

It’s the same with the people you look up to and admire. They seem to have it all together; their lives are picture-perfect. Their homes are “home goals” for many. Their relationships and jobs are ideal as well. Well, that’s how it looks to us at least anyway, but we never really know how they are feeling inside and if it is ”perfect” for them.

In this article, we’ll look at six reasons to stay happy even when things aren’t perfect or seem stagnant.  Read on, and don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments.

Every Day Is a Fresh Opportunity to Be Better

If you’re like many perfectionists, you may envision all of your projects coming out in the best version they can possibly be. You want that new recipe to come out perfect. You want to make the perfect first impression with your new colleagues. Put simply; you’re obsessed with perfection.

The fact is, you will live a more satisfying life if you view every day as a new opportunity to get better than the previous one. Failed to meet that goal? Instead of obsessing, focus on working more and better the next day.

Set goals, concentrate on making small improvements each day, and you’ll find yourself move naturally towards your larger goals.

The Bumpy Ride is Inevitable

Can you truly ever appreciate the highs without the lows? Maybe not.  There are great lessons to be learned in these not-so-great moments. The ride will be bumpy at some point; you have to come to terms with that. Things will go south, accept it.

How you decide to deal with it will make all the difference and determine how you go from there.

You may have had things planned, goals halted for financial, health, or other reasons. These “lows” are not the end, only temporary blips, but all that depends on how you see it. You need to learn to embrace and appreciate these lows even as you reach for the “highs”.  Make this a habit, and you’ll be happier for it.

Live in the Moment

Stop putting your happiness on hold. You can be who and what you want to be right now regardless of the situation. Stop waiting for a significant turnaround before you become the person you want to be. Stop believing you need to make more money to be happy, or that you can’t explore until you reach a certain point.  You can do any of those things right now.

Money isn’t all you can give out. You can choose to be generous with your compassion. You can choose to be the listening ears when family and friends need just that. You can create adventure in your life daily by meeting new people and trying new things. Live in the now and enjoy every part of it.

Realize That Everything Happens for a Reason

Realize everything happens for a reason – good or bad. The most horrible, painful events have lessons in them, and somehow, they can mold who you become tomorrow. In those “low” moments, it can be challenging to see things this way.

But we must remember that life is what it is, and even when things seem out of control, someday, the reasons will become clear. So, learn from every situation and accept that these little mistakes and lessons are part of the pieces that will build the person you become tomorrow.

Appreciate the Things Working Right Now

You’re enough, and you do enough – remember this. We often have so many amazing things going on in our lives, but we don’t even notice. We’re obsessed with making everything perfect before we can afford to be happy.

We fail to focus on and appreciate the good things going on in our lives. We beat ourselves up over the negative aspects we focus on while we overlook our accomplishments.

It shouldn’t be that way. Recognize and appreciate the awesome things and people you have in your life. Enjoy your achievements and experiences, big or small. When you do this, brooding over disappointments will become unnecessary.

Look at the Big Picture

On your “low” days, try to see the big picture. Ask yourself if these “imperfections” will matter in a few months or years from now. Often the things we sacrifice our happiness for never impact our lives in the long run. Past misdeeds will fade away, emotional wounds will heal with time, and all you’ll be left with are valuable lessons – if you let it teach you, that is.

In time, many of the things you panicked about won’t matter anymore. So, whenever you find yourself stressing about events you have no control over, remind yourself to look at the big picture.

Ask yourself these questions: how important is this? Is this worth the worries and stress? Is this worth beating myself over?

Final Thoughts

Consciously strive to stay happy at all times. See the good in every situation. Create your perfect life in the imperfections; let yourself get carried away. Scream, be silly, run with the dog, feel the earth under your feet. Enjoy every moment, and as the not-so-good days come, allow them to teach you, not overwhelm you.